The Last
by baybaygalyean
Summary: A lone wanderer of the forests of Mirkwood. A protector. A guardian of the last remaining section of the Greenwood. Her kind has dwindled. Many fear the guardian. People fear that which they do not know. But one elf. One elf has broken the distance between the guardian. One has become a friend. But darker things are afoot. The One Ring has been found. It is time.
1. Exit the Dark

Mirkwood, used to be full and booming with life. Light shone through the canopy and life was in abundance. But sickness has fallen on the Greenwood. No longer is the air light. Those living underneath the sick foliage travel with caution. For the past nine decades, the sickness had been spreading and becoming darker. Spiders began to nest within the Greenwood. They continue to help this darkness poison the life around it. The air is thick. The trees are no longer speaking like they once had. King Thranduil, Elevenking of the once Great Greenwood, cannot contend alone with this madness. For every nest they take out, two more take its place. The sickness lies heavily on the minds of the elves. For they are connected to the life around them. No one dares stay outside of Thranduil's great hall, save for one. One alone, wanders the vast forest, a mysterious protector of the wood. They say where ever the guardian walks, the sickness recedes. That there is a small portion of the wood, that is untouched by disease. But not many have even seen this guardian. Only small glances of a figure in the distance, before it disappears. The few who know the face of it, remember to leave it be. For people fear the unknown. In the past thousand years, only one has broken the distance between the guardian. Just one, who has been a friend to the last protector of the Greenwood. But the darkness spreads. Evil grows, and a small Hobbit, carries the fate of all.

Silence. She dreaded the silence. Beneath the diseased trees, a lone woman glided over the forest floor. Over her shoulder, three small rabbits hung. She had struggled a bit while on the hunt today. Those nasty spiders always made a mess of things. But she managed. Slipping deeper and deeper into the wood, she finally came to her destination. A large tree that stood much taller than the rest. Her home was here. She slipped underneath the large roots, and after a while of weaving through underground tunnels, a light was seen ahead. She moved a bit faster as she finally reached her home. A large clearing opened up in front of her. The grass was greener, the air was lighter, and animals scurried around the forest floor. This clean space, which lacked a sickness, spread only a few leagues around. This area was her sanctuary. She fought the darkness daily to keep what was left of the Greenwood. A small faun ambled up to her. The woman smiled and laid a delicate hand on its head. The faun dipped its head and then skipped away. Suddenly, everything stopped. The animals became on edge. Someone else was in their sanctuary. The woman put down her catch and drew an arrow and fit it against her bow. She stalked through the trees, all of her senses on high alert. A twig snapped to her left, and she spun around drawing the bow tight. The sight before her surprised her enough to almost lose the arrow. She lowered her bow.

"Gandalf?" Her soft voice asked. At her question, a wizened old man stepped out of the trees. He dressed in a grey robe and cloak. Upon his head sat a crooked grey hat. In his right hand, he gripped a gnarled staff and at his belt rested a sword. His wrinkled face split into a grin.

"Is this how you treat all of your guests, Merethyl?" Came the reply. She immediately sheathed her bow and leaped at the wizard.

"I have missed you, Olorin." She said as he wrapped his arms around the lithe woman. He chuckled at her actions. For one so old, she could be quite lively. He held her out at arm's length.

"Let me take a look at you, for it has been years." She pouted.

"Almost 60 years, I believe." She said turning her nose up at him. Gandalf laughed, and she turned back toward him with a grin. She looked exactly the same, which was to be expected. Her brown wavy hair had gotten longer, her body was much leaner, but her amber eyes still held a light and her long pointed ears still twitched when amused.

"Beautiful as ever." He smiled. She laughed and shrugged him off.

"Come, Olorin. I will make tea." Merethyl led him deeper into her sanctuary until they came upon a small hut. She opened the door and beckoned him inside. The interior was simple but cozy. Only a few chairs and a small table framed the fire pit. She stoaked the fire and placed a kettle of water on to heat it. Gandalf sat at one of the two chairs, and they waited in silence until the pot began to scream. Merethyl quickly prepared the tea and held a steaming glass out to Olorin. He took it and sipped it carefully. He sighed in content and leaned back in his chair.

"Merethyl, you have always made a wonderful cup of tea." She chuckled.

"Well, as much as you love my tea, it isn't good enough to risk coming into Mirkwood. Especially here, which is off the path." She frowned and stared at her tea. Olorin sighed.

"You are correct. There is a darkness brewing. As I am sure, you are aware." Merethyl's eyes darkened.

"Yes. The vile creatures become more and more bold every day. I loathe spiders." She ground out, her fists clenched. Olorin put his hand on hers, and she relaxed a bit. His face darkened.

"The One Ring has been found." Merethyl recoiled from him as if burned. Her face held fear. "Right now it is I the hands of a young hobbit by the name of Frodo Baggins." Merethyl drank deeply from her cup before gingerly setting it down.

"What would you have me do, Olorin?" She asked warily.

"A council is meeting in Rivendell to discuss its fate. I would like you to attend." He told her. She stiffened and rose from her chair. She began pacing.

"Olorin, I have not left these woods in 60 years. And before that, it was 900 years. I do not like the outside world. They are close-minded, and they are quick to judge." Her eyes were angry.

"I know. You know I would not ask you to do this unless it was necessary." Merethyl sighed and nodded.

"I will begin packing." Olorin rose.

"It is in two months time. I suggest you leave as soon as possible." She nodded once more then moved to a chest and began pulling out her weapons, travel gear and armor. "Oh and Merethyl." She looked up at him. "Wear something appropriate." He suggested eyeing her limited apparel. Her race wasn't known for modesty. She frowned but agreed.

"Be safe, Olorin." She whispered. And then he was gone. Merethyl had work to do. She decided to leave at dawn tomorrow morning. It would be the farthest she has traveled in almost 1000 years. She hoped for the best.


	2. Welcome to Rivendell

The first few steps out of the cover of Mirkwood's forests and into the plains before it was difficult. The spiders before only gave Merethyl a little bit of trouble. The step out signified a return to a world of judgment and hate. She hated this. But Olorin asked this of her, and she would not disappoint.

The next portion of her journey was smooth and uneventful. She crept unseen and made it around the mountains, of which goblins called their home. Once she was far enough from the danger of the mountain, she lowered her guard a bit. She had quickly enough made it to the outskirts of Rivendell. The hard part was going to be getting inside. The paths twisted and split. Only those familiar with the wood could discern which way to take. Merethyl couldn't use her nose either. Some protective enchantment laid upon this place. After a few hours of wandering, she huffed and sat down on the ground. Who could blame her for not remembering the way after 1000 years?

A few minutes later she picked up a slight sound behind her. She sprung to her feet and spun around pulling a small blade from her waist. Three arrows pointed directly at her. The Rivendell Guard had found her. She slowly sheathed her sword.

"Le suilon." Merethyl greeted them stiffly. Their arrows did not lower. She frowned. "Lle omenta yassen pilin'?" She asked them.

"Lye uma il creosa lle, NaurSuula!" The one on the left edge spat. Merethyl felt a spark of anger at the elf. They always believed themselves to be above all else. They hated her, and for the reason that she didn't have control over.

"I am here on behalf of Mithrandir, to attend the council of Elrond." She spoke out in common tongue. The one in the middle lowered his bow just slightly.

"Mithrandir, would dare invite your kind to our sanctuary?" He frowned.

"Apparently, the need is great. Or else I would still be at home." She snapped. Her patience was wearing thin with these elves. His bow straightened at her before he lowered it completely.

"I will show you the way." He told her while eyeing her suspiciously. Merethyl nodded in thanks. The other archer put away his bow, but the angry one refused.

"Aralon, put away your weapon!" The middle elf scolded. Aralon hesitated before complying.

"En'rant, Nikerym." He said through clenched teeth. Merethyl resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Elves.

"This way, NaurSuula." The captain ordered. Merethyl clenched her teeth but made to follow him, the two elves flanking her. They led her through curved paths and deeper into the wood. For a moment she thought they would try to ambush her while deeper within the land. With each step, she became tenser. She could feel her teeth pressing into her lip. She was growing nervous. And suddenly they came to an opening in the trees. Rivendell lay before them. Merethyl had forgotten how beautiful it was. The waterfalls cascaded over the sides of the valley, and the mist created a light shimmer over the city. A breathtaking sight. The earlier tension in her muscles eased a bit. But a slight nudge at her back reminded her that her hosts were not fond of her standing around. She begrudgingly continued walking forward.

As they made their way up the stone path, elves would stare. Some would cast out an insult or pray loudly to their Valar. They prayed for protection. They feared and hated the sight of Merethyl. They could tell from a glance what she was. Her bright amber eyes, the long red hair, and lastly the ears gave her away. They were longer than the pointed ears of the elves. They knew what she was, what she could become, and they feared it. Merethyl ignored them to the best of her ability. At one point during the journey, a rock found its way to her temple. She spun towards the direction it came from and let out a hiss. The elves nearby fled and the guards unsheathed their weapons. Merethyl was getting tired of this. She wanted to be in the woods. She wanted to be safe and in her home.

"Mana na sina?" A stern voice called from above. Merethyl's head snapped to the front. At the top of the stairs strode Lord Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. The leader out of the three bowed to him.

"Emme tulime sina ulundo, Mime heru." The elf said to him. Merethyl tensed further.

"We do not treat our guests in such a poor manner." He scolded. The guard looked away, but Aralon stood fast.

"We now welcome beasts and monsters into our home?!" He spat. Lord Elrond narrowed his eyes.

"She is not a beast or a monster. Aralon, you need to learn your manners." He said continuing down the stairs. He reached Merethyl and pulled her into a warm hug. "Alatulle, titta er." Merethyl wrapped her arms around him and smiled.

"I am not so little anymore, My Lord." She said stepping away from him. Lord Elrond was always a gracious host. Merethyl chanced a glance at Alaron, and his mouth was agape. She smiled at him, then stuck out her tongue.

"Physically, yes. But apparently, 1000 years hasn't made you any less childish." He said fondly. Merethyl hmpfed in good humor. Lord Elrond dismissed the guards and began leading Merethyl towards the grander hall. The elves she passed here avoided her like the plague, but at least in the presence of Lord Elrond, they kept their comments to themselves. After passing through a few more hallways, they came upon a door. Lord Elrond opened it and moved inside.

"This is your room. I have kept it the same as you have left it." He told her. She looked around, and it was true. Arrows littered the floor by an old desk where she used to make them. Feathers stashed in a mug on the desk were strewn around. Three large bookshelves lined the far wall. But her favorite part was straight ahead. She pushed forward and opened up the double doors that laid before her. They revealed a large balcony that looked over most of Rivendell. It was a beautiful sight. She turned to Lord Elrond and bowed in thanks. He smiled lightly at her before turning towards the door. Before he closed it behind him, he flashed her a grin.

"Welcome to Rivendell."

le suilon-I greet you

Lle omenta yassen pilin'-You would greet with arrows?

Lye uma il creosa lle, Naur Suula!-We do not welcome you, Fire breath!

Mana la sina-What is this?

Emme tulime sina ulundo, Mime heru-We found the monster, my lord.

Alatulle, titta er-Welcome, little one.


End file.
